“As is common in such incidents, an investigation has been launched into why yesterday’s flight OS434 flew via a hail zone,” AUA stated in response to a question. “The incident lasted only some seconds,” it stated.
The nostril of the plane, the 2 entrance cockpit home windows and panels have been affected. The extent of the injury and the way lengthy the plane shall be out of motion can’t but be estimated, stated AUA spokeswoman Anita Kiefer. Checking the plane techniques and observing the present and forecast climate situations alongside all the route are the primary duties of the cockpit crews throughout the flight, that are carried out “with nice care”, it was emphasised.
Caught in a thunderstorm cell
Based on AUA, the Airbus A320 on its manner from Palma de Mallorca to Vienna had run right into a thunderstorm cell, which the cockpit crew stated was not seen on the climate radar. The emergency name “Mayday” was initially despatched. Nonetheless, the airplane landed safely at Vienna Airport at 5:55 p.m. and no passengers have been injured.
In precept, the techniques on board an plane such because the climate radar work very reliably, however in unpredictable climate conditions there’s little time to keep away from a thundercloud, for instance, stated aviation skilled Kurt Hofmann within the Ö1 “Mittagsjournal”. “We’re seeing increasingly excessive climate occasions, the storms in air visitors have gotten extra extreme,” stated Hofmann. There’s additionally a rise in extreme turbulence, such because the latest incident with Singapore Airways by which one passenger died and over 30 folks have been injured. The skilled advisable that passengers all the time put on seat belts throughout the flight. However the hail injury additionally reveals the large stress that machines can stand up to.
